Boiler condensate and feedwater contamination is an undesirable and frequently occurring problem in the fermentation industry and other industries. These contaminants contribute to system inefficiencies, corrosion, deposition, and other system issues. Particularly with boiler systems or other steam-generating systems, such issues result in detrimental effects on heat transfer and reduced asset life. A common contaminant in fermentation processes, for example, is wort, which is the liquid extract obtained from the grain mashing process where one or more (including combinations) milled grains, for example, in beer brewing and whiskey distillation, are used as a fermentable substrate. Wort is a complex mixture that contains sugars that are fermented by brewing yeast to produce alcohol-containing product. Typical raw materials for its production include malted grain (e.g. barley) and water. In the beer brewing process it is sometimes referred to as hopped malt extract. Essentially this mixture is the basis for beer brewing and whiskey production processes.
Wort boiling is an essential step in beer brewing and whiskey production. It is a process by which hop components are extracted and transformed, including precipitation of proteins and conversion of dimethylsulfide to dimethylsulfoxide. During this process, the possibility exists, for example, of contaminating the boiler condensate due to direct steam contact with the product. Condensate contamination of the boiler feedwater might increase carryover from the boiler detrimentally resulting in organic acids in the steam and condensate system. Furthermore, steam purity is of the utmost importance to the industry due to possible contact of steam with the product and any contamination of the boiler or boiler water system compromises the entire operation.
Currently, measurement of wort contamination in condensate is performed with low frequency and using a well known laborious process. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,846, titled “Method of Detecting the Presence of Sugar in Steam Generating Systems.” The disclosed system includes detecting a calorimetric signal produced by exposing a grab sample with a reagent such as potassium permanganate and an acetate. Online measurement systems also exist; however, the devices used require high maintenance and are not considered robust.
There thus exists an industry need for improved methods of detecting wort and other contaminants in boiler condensate and feedwater. A particular need exists for low maintenance, reliable, and automated methods of such detection.